The tragic attack on National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C. is a sobering moment that demands serious and focused discussion about national security and the safety of those who serve. It is a time for unity in support of our troops and for a clear-eyed assessment of the policies that have shaped our current security landscape.
While the impulse to assign blame is understandable in the face of such a loss, it is more productive to focus on the concrete failures that led to this point. The core issue revolves around specific policy decisions and their consequences, including visa vetting processes, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the broader approach to counter-terrorism.
Engaging in heated rhetoric or attributing complex global events to a single individual does not honor the sacrifice of Specialist Beckstrom or help protect our service members moving forward. What is needed now is a rigorous, fact-based debate on how to ensure such a tragedy never happens again, focusing on strengthening our borders, improving intelligence, and supporting the men and women who stand on the front lines to keep America safe.
